Spin stabilized ring-wing canard controlled missile

ABSTRACT

A spin stabilized circular canard control surface for attitude control of missiles. The canard control surface guides a missile along a path determined by the attitude of a space oriented spinning canard. The canard is spun free around a spherical bearing located on a boom projecting forward of the missile nose and is disposed with its spin axis pivoted about a point in the longitudinal axis of the missile. When a disturbing force causes rotation of the missile axis from the canard axis, the canard applies to the missile a restoring torque to thereby restore coincidence of the missile and canard axes.

United States Patent Inventor 72 William W. Stripling Huntsville, Ala. [2|] AppLNo. 861,690 [22] Filed Sept. 29, I969 [45] Patented Sept. 7, I971 [73] Assignee The United States 01 America as represented by the Secretary of the Army [54] SPIN STABILIZED RING-WING CANARD CONTROLLED MISSILE 2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 244/3.23 [51] Int. Cl F4211 13/00 [50] Field of Search 244/3. 1 6, 3.2, 3.23; 102/3 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3.145.949 8/1964 Smith, Jr. 244/3.2l X

3,195.462 7/1965 Petre 244/3.2l X 3,262,655 7/1966 Gillespie,Jr 244/3.21 X FOREIGN PATENTS 941,108 6/1948 France 102/3 Primary ExaminerVerlin R. Pendegrass An0rneysHarry M. Saragovitz, Edward]. Kelly, Herbert Ber] and Charles R. Carter ABSTRACT: A spin stabilized circular canard control surface for attitude control of missiles. The canard control surface guides a missile along a path determined by the attitude of a space oriented spinning canard. The canard is spun free around a spherical bearing located ona boom projecting forward of the missile nose and is disposed with its spin axis pivoted about a point in the longitudinal axis of the missile. When a disturbing force causes rotation of the missile axis from the canard axis, the canard applies to the missile a restoring torque to thereby restore coincidence of the missile and canard axes.

PATENTEDSEP H9?! 3.603533 l IO 6 L A William W. Siripling, FIG. 2 INVENTOR m a l aYw n/aze IWM SPIN STABILIZED RING-WING CANARD CONTROLLED MISSILE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the field of missiles and more particularly to the flight control thereof. The present invention provides attitude control of missiles or rockets without internal guidance controls. The invention includes a ring-wing canard spin stabilized for gyroscope action to maintain the spin axis thereof in the trajectory of the missile despite disturbing wind forces that tend to cause rotation of the missile axis away from the canard spin axis. The canard is a gyroscope which has a large free gyro rotor to provide two degrees of freedom and thereby provide pitch and yaw control of the missile.

The invention may be better understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the missile.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the support bearing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION around the boom surface for support of spin stabilized ring- 3 wing canard 8. The canard includes an aerodynamic lift ring 9 connected by ring support struts 10 to a bearing 11 which is mounted on hearing 7 for rotation. The canard is mounted with its spin axis pivoted about a point in the longitudinal axis of the missile. As the missile leaves the tube launcher, the canard may be spun up by riflings in the tube or by high-pressure gas carried by the canard itself to be spin stabilized for gyroscopic action to maintain the spin axis thereof in the trajectory of the missile. When a disturbing force causes rotation of the missile axis from the canard axis, an aerodynamic force acts on lift ring 9 and a restoring torque is applied to the missile having a lever arm that is the effective length from the center of the spherical bearing to the missile center of gravity thereby restoring coincidence of the missile and canard axes.

I claim:

1. A stabilized ring-wing canard controlled missile comprising:

a. a missile with a longitudinal centerline axis and a center of gravity;

b. a boom projecting forward of one end of said missile;

c. a spin stabilized ring-wing canard secured to said boom with a spherical bearing centered at a point in the center axis of the missile;

. the axis of the canard is directed in the trajectory of the missile and the canard is disposed for rotation to apply a restoring torque to said missile and restore coincidence of said missile and canard axes when a force disturbing the missile causes rotation of the missile axis from the canard axis.

2. A missile as set forth in claim 1 wherein said canard includes a ring, a bearing and support struts connecting said ring to said bearing. 

1. A stabilized ring-wing canard controlled missile comprising: A. A MISSILE WITH A LONGITUDINAL CENTERLINE AXIS AND A CENTER OF GRAVITY; B. A BOOM PROJECTING FORWARD OF ONE END OF SAID MISSILE; C. A SPIN STABILIZED RING-WING CANARD SECURED TO SAID BOOM WITH A SPHERICAL BEARING CENTERED AT A POINT IN THE CENTER AXIS OF THE MISSILE; D. THE AXIS OF THE CANARD IS DIRECTED IN THE TRAJECTORY OF THE MISSILE AND THE CANARD IS DISPOSED FOR ROTATION TO APPLY A RESTORING TORQUE TO SAID MISSILE AND RESTORE COINCIDENCE OF SAID MISSILE AND CANARD AXES WHEN A FORCE DISTURBING THE MISSILE CAUSES ROTATION OF THE MISSILE AXIS FROM THE CANARD AXIS.
 2. A missile as set forth in claim 1 wherein said canard includes a ring, a bearing and support struts connecting said ring to said bearing. 